Wondering if you could get paid to shop?
Heck yes!
Currently, there are 4 major ways to get paid for shopping:
- Cashback Apps that Pay You to Go Shopping
- Shop and Earn Money Grocery Shopping for Others
- Do Errands and Tasks for People
- Participate in Mystery Shopping Gigs
Whether you want to get paid to shop online or make money by shopping in stores, it’s absolutely possible.
And the amount you earn is up to you!
Have you ever found yourself sitting around with nothing to do, so you start browsing online?
If that’s the case for you then pay attention because we’re about to share some groundbreaking apps that get paid to shop.
Let’s face it, our society has become one where people are glued to their screens, watching cat videos on YouTube while they’re waiting for the bus.
Let’s make the most of it!
Best Cashback Apps That Pay to Go Shopping
The good news is that there are apps out there that you can get paid to shop.
There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of the free money opportunities in our mobile world and actually getting paid to do something we’re already doing…shopping!
Sounds pretty great 🙂
Other than saving, earning cash for shopping online is one of the best ways to earn some extra money on the side.
The apps we’re about to share with you can get you a great extra chunk of money, even if you only spend a few hours working on them here and there while also continuing to do your daily life things.
Let’s take a look at our faves.
1. Ibotta
In our opinion, Ibotta is one of the best apps to earn cashback for shopping.
It’s a great way to make some extra money while also doing household errands or going to get your groceries.
How does it work?
In a nutshell, you go online and find rebates for the things you buy every day, such as different products at Walmart, Target, etc., then take a picture of your receipt to verify purchases.
Once you have verified your first purchase, Ibotta will send you a check for the cashback rewards.
2. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is another favorite cashback app of ours.
You actually get rewarded for doing your regular shopping here, whether it be at Walmart or Target, etc.
And…
You can also use the app to discover deals on things that are trending online.
3. Rakuten (Formerly Ebates)
This is another favorite app of ours because you get cashback on your online purchases.
If you think about it, we spend so much money shopping online nowadays that this offers us an easy way to earn some extra money every month by doing what we already do on a regular basis.
It’s a great setup!
You can use Rakuten to earn cashback at Gearbest, Sephora, Playstation Store, and many other online stores.
In addition to that, Rakuten also offers money back on flights, hotels, and restaurants.
4. Drop
Drop is a card that gives you cashback on your everyday shopping.
It’s a little different from the others because you actually get a physical card, but once it arrives at your house, all you have to do is link it to your bank account and start earning cashback straight away.
Local businesses near you will also give you discounts and coupons after you link up.
We love Drop because it’s a great way to get a discount on the things we’re already buying.
Plus…
It’s actually nice to have a physical card so there’s no need for having to upload receipts every time you shop online.
5. Shopkick
If you’ve never heard of Shopkick, it’s another great way to get paid for doing your regular shopping.
You can receive “kicks” (points) as you walk into stores like Walmart and Target and this will allow you to rack up points that you can redeem for gift cards.
Looking for some extra money for this & that?
This app is great for that!
It’ll maybe even give you a chance to save up for the holidays 😉
7. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the most popular cashback apps on the market.
For good reason 🙂
This app has become so huge due to how many different ways you can get paid for shopping online, including:
- Gift cards
- PayPal payments
- Amazon gift cards
It’s easy to earn Swagbucks because all you have to do is search the web, use their shopping portal, or try out some of the many products they advertise on Facebook.
When it’s time to cash out, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal or send them straight to your bank account.
It’s so refreshingly simple.
8. BeFrugal
This is another app that you can use for your everyday purchases as well as online shopping.
They don’t necessarily give you cashback…
…but they do offer special coupons and deals that will save you money on the items you buy most often.
How does it work?
They have a variety of promo codes and coupon codes to help you get discounts on specific products that you want to buy.
For example, if you’re looking for a new pair of shoes, simply add them to your cart and see if BeFrugal has any codes that will get you a discount on those specific shoes.
Pretty simple, right?
9. TopCashBack
This is definitely another one worth checking out.
Looking for an easy way to get paid simply by doing your regular shopping online?
Check out TopCashBack because it’s easy for anyone to take advantage of.
Seriously.
So easy!
You can get up to 20% cashback on online purchases at over 2,000 different stores.
10. CapitalOne Shopping
This is a really easy way to get paid for shopping at no cost to you.
CapitalOne has partnered up with many of the most popular retailers in the United States so you can earn points by simply paying with your CapitalOne credit card.
That’s it.
Just change your payment method and boom!
Discounts.
The best part about this program is that they are constantly adding new merchants on their site, so you won’t have to pay for things with cashback rewards.
Instead, they’ll just add the points you earn directly onto your credit card as a statement towards your next purchase.
11. Groupon
If you’ve never used Groupon, it’s a wonderful way to buy gift cards for much less than their face value.
Just be aware that you won’t score the entire gift card for yourself.
That’s why it works so well. [1]
For example, if it’s a $50 gift card and you pay $30, then your mate will get $20 as well as you.
This means you can either get yourself $40 worth of items or pay for one big item with the card and let your mate get something smaller for them to enjoy, too.
It’s a win-win situation no matter how you use it.
12. Nielsen Homescan or National Consumer Panel
This is a great app if you want to get paid for doing your regular shopping on a weekly basis.
Who doesn’t?
It’s one of the most popular cashback apps on the market and it allows you to earn points or loyalty on items you’ve already purchased in the past.
You simply need a smartphone with an updated operating system that has WiFi capabilities to scan or manually enter a barcode, and you can get paid for doing this.
The best part is that the points add up quickly and after a few weeks of putting in your “shopping time,” you’ll have enough points to pay for an Amazon gift card.
Sounds pretty great!
13. Dosh
This is another cashback app that you can use on your phone or on your computer.
You’ll get paid for buying things at local stores, signing up for offers, watching videos, and more.
Plus…
They like to throw in a random assortment of items into their rewards program once in a while as well.
For example, they will offer to pay you for watching a video about laundry detergent.
14. ReceiptPal
This is a really cool app that will pay you to snap pictures of your receipts.
With ReceiptPal, you can earn cashback when you go shopping at local stores in your area by simply snapping photos of the receipts you get after purchasing items.
Easy peasy.
You can then enter them into the ReceiptPal app and it will store all of the items on your receipt so you can use them for returns or exchanges.
It’s one of the easiest ways to get paid because it only takes a few minutes to do each time.
Do you shop at local stores, restaurants, grocery markets, drugstores, etc.?
Then this is the app for you!
15. Checkout 51
The next one is a coupon app, so you won’t get paid in cash.
However, Checkout 51 lets you save money when you go shopping by offering coupons to your phone for over 100 different brands.
All you need to do?
Check the inventory of items before you shop and buy anything that has an offer available for it.
Then go shopping and show the cashier your phone with the coupon on it to get your discount.
Discounts accomplished 🙂
16. Receipt Hog
This app is much like ReceiptPal except you don’t have to snap pictures of the receipts.
Instead?
Just simply take a picture of your receipt barcode and it will do the rest for you.
It’s also very easy to use and can pay you up to $40 per month with items that are already in your home or work office.
17. Purse.io
Purse.io is an e-commerce website that lets you buy items while keeping the item’s value in Bitcoin.
Intriguing, yes?
It’s an interesting way to shop, especially if you’re invested in cryptocurrency because it allows you to convert your money into other forms of currency without it costing you more than the price of the item itself (like PayPal or a credit card would). [2]
Take, for example, if you buy something that is $50.
If it’s on Purse.io then you can convert your Bitcoin into Amazon gift cards and get paid instantly to shop on Amazon with the gift card – using Bitcoins – and get whatever item you want instead of paying the “conversion fees.”
It’s completely free to use 🙂
Obviously, it will take some practice for you to get the hang of it because you have to know what things are worth in Bitcoin.
However, if you’re already involved with cryptocurrency then this is just another way for you to see your investment grow even more!
18. Seated
This app is useful for people who are on the go.
If you spend a lot of time commuting to work, running errands, or traveling, then Seated will allow you to make some extra cash while doing it by simply sitting in your car!
You can earn credits toward gift cards by answering surveys, trying out products, and even leaving your car idling.
19. Coupons.com (Previously SavingStar)
Coupons.com has been around for a long time now, and it’s an easy way to save money on groceries or even online shopping.
It’s SO simple, too.
All you have to do is sign up with your email address, clip the coupons you want before checking out at any store, use them during checkout, and get paid to shop!
20. Honey
This is another great option for people who like to shop online.
With Honey, you can get price comparisons and coupons when shopping online.
You just need a web browser!
It works by adding a little bit of code onto your browser that detects what website you’re on and it’ll show you any discounts that you’re eligible for if there are any.
Yes, it really can save you money. [3]
21. WikiBuy
Are you an avid fan of Wikipedia?
Do you love reading up on different topics all the time?
Then why not get paid for that passion?!
With WikiBuy, you can get money back when shopping online.
If a company has partnered with them then it will give you additional cashback when you shop based on your interests.
How cool is that?
Plus, the app is completely free.
22. Caddle
Caddle is another great way to shop online and get cashback.
You can also save money on groceries by searching for coupon deals for your favorite products, then use the Caddle app at checkout to apply the discounts automatically!
23. Mobee
I’m sure you’re familiar with Groupon and similar “discount” websites.
Mobee code is the new kid on the block.
It’s a free way to make money without even leaving your house!
All you have to do is sign up on their site by submitting a request for a business in your area.
Once granted access, take pictures of items that are discounted then share them on social media or submit the photos to get paid.
As simple as that!
Shop and Earn Money Grocery Shopping for Others
Another way to get cashback while grocery shopping is by shopping for others.
There are a few different websites and apps that allow you to do this, but my personal favorite is Instacart.
You can become a personal shopper for people in your local area and get paid to shop for them!
Plus, it’s an easy way to make some extra money on the side without having to put in a lot of extra effort.
Let’s check out some of the best ones out there.
1. Shipt
To work for Shipt, you have to go through a pretty extensive interview process and get approved.
However…
If you want to become a Shipt shopper then it’s relatively easy to do once the initial application has been submitted.
There are also different types of shoppers such as groceries, alcohol, and even pet supplies so you can use this app for almost anything.
2. Instacart
As an Instacart shopper, you’ll be delivering groceries to people in your local area.
You can choose the shifts that work best for you, including full-time if you want to make it a full-time gig!
It’s very flexible.
Do keep in mind though…
The pay isn’t very high compared to other apps that are similar.
However, Instacart does have opportunities for bonuses and tipping that can boost up your earnings if you do well enough.
In fact, in 2020, some shoppers saw year-end bonuses of up to $500! [4]
3. BestMark
BestMark is an online service that will assign you to complete small tasks for local companies.
The pay isn’t great, but it’s every week!
The only downside to BestMark is that your availability changes daily depending on when the appointments are available.
However, there are still plenty of opportunities to take advantage of.
4. Walmart Personal Shopper
Walmart has a program where you can be their “personal shopper”.
This means that people who don’t want to go shopping for themselves (but still want to get cool stuff) will give Walmart a list of what they want, and you shop for them.
It’s a great gig!
The only downside is that it’s only available in the United States.
5. Amazon Prime Now
If you’re looking to earn money shopping for others, you might want to consider delivering for Amazon Prime.
They will send you a kit and all the supplies that you need.
And it’s completely free!
You get paid almost immediately after each delivery.
There are also bonuses for doing particularly well during certain times of the year or if you can deliver in record time.
Do Errands and Tasks for People
Some apps allow you to complete tasks and errands in your spare time for cash.
These can be called “gig work” or “task work.”
It’s completing jobs that others don’t have time to do themselves.
1. Task Rabbit
Do all of your friends need someone to pick up their dry cleaning, mail a letter, or buy some groceries for them?
If so, you can help them out on Task Rabbit.
Helping out friends is fun!
Plus you get money every time.
- Browse through the listings of jobs available in your area
- Choose which ones you want to accept and complete the task
2. Care.com
Like Task Rabbit, Care.com is where you can sign up as a caregiver, do tasks for people who need them done, and get paid.
You can then use the money toward anything that you want.
- Browse through different tasks and requests
- Do tasks such as childcare, housekeeping, pet care, errands, and more
- Get cash deposited into your Care.com account by completing each task
Seniors who are busy with other things in their life do not have the time to shop for groceries or run errands.
This is where you can help!
Plus, you get paid to do it.
Participate in Mystery Shopping Gigs
As a mystery shopper, you will go into different businesses and rate how you were treated as a customer.
It’s like being paid to shop!
- Manage your account online
- Sign up for specific “shopping” jobs that match your interests
Some of the most popular companies include Secret Shopper, Pinnacle, IntelliShop, and Field Agent.
1. Secret Shopper
There are a lot of different companies that hire mystery shoppers, and one of the most popular is Secret Shopper.
And it’s so easy!
You must shop at local businesses during normal business hours and rate your experience as a customer.
This includes everything from restaurants to retail stores.
Secret shoppers work part-time or full-time and can earn quite a bit of money per assignment, with some companies paying more.
It’s simple to get started too:
- Sign up on their website to become a secret shopper
- Browse nearby stores and businesses that are hiring your type of work
They will then send you tasks based on your interests and location.
2. Pinnacle
A lot of people love taking surveys.
Pinnacle is a great site that has been around for many years now and has paid out well over $100 million to its users.
You can:
- Browse different types of surveys available (a full list can be found on their site)
- Answer questions you like the most, as it will help increase your earnings
It’s a great way to get paid online and there is no cost to sign up.
Additionally, you can use it as an app on your phone or tablet!
3. IntelliShop
If you need a little extra cash each month, then consider installing the IntelliShop app on your phone.
It’s free to use!
It will allow you to get paid for browsing through various types of apps that are available.
- Use this for an hour or two every day when you have time
- Browse through apps that match your interests and earn money
- Refer friends and get paid even faster
This is a great way to make some extra cash on your phone.
All you have to do is install an app, use it for a little bit every day, and then keep the money you earned.
It’s that easy!
4. Field Agent
A lot of people like to go shopping for themselves or others.
This is where you can get paid for doing it AND get free coupons on the side.
- If you shop at local stores, you can earn money (up to $10 per hour)
- You will also earn points that will help you redeem more coupons
- Browse through tasks and pick out the ones you want to do
They will pay you at least $8 per hour, plus coupons that can be turned in for food, travel, movies, etc.
FAQs for Get Paid to Shop Online & In-Store
Here is a list of common questions about getting paid to shop. If you’re looking to continue to make a little extra cash in your free time, exploring apps that also offer games that pay real money could also be a fun and easy way to do so. While you may not make a six-figure income this way, it could be a great source of much-needed cash.
How Do You Get Paid While Shopping?
There are plenty of ways to get paid to shop online shopping. Mostly, people are compensated through cash payments on the same day they shop with their recommendations. There are also sites that will give you points based on what you buy and how much money they make from advertisers. Some sites will allow you to redeem points for things like food or even travel!
How Much Do You Get Paid to Shop Be A Shipt Shopper?
The app pays its shoppers between $20 and $25 per hour. The minimum is over the course of 4 hours, which is about the same as a minimum wage, but you also get to keep your tips. Earnings are calculated through tips given on every delivery plus 3% of store credit card purchases made on each order using our Sofort payment method.
How Much Do You Get Paid to Shop Instacart Shopper?
Instacart pays its shoppers between $3.50 and $10 per hour, based on how many deliveries you make during your shift. Minimum is over the course of 2 hours which at minimum wage, you would get paid $16. Since shoppers are compensated on a per-order basis, how much they earn can vary widely based on your speed and accuracy.
